Wichita eagle., 1887-01-18
BILLY HITCHINS.

inviting rendezvous in Little York a
rainy afternoon in late October, 1851; for
cold and cherries was the wind WhiStling
down the Old emigrant trail, and the
driving rain obscured the new sign Of the
Blue Wing saloon on the other side of
the plaza. Little rivers sought channels
among the twisted roots Of the giant pines
swayinE uneasily in the gusts which
brought down green spray and dried
brancA in disaSreeable confusion. Closed
were the livery stable butcher shop and
blacksmith forge 10 the east: TO the south
two private resjden ;es showed closed
doors and yelled windows; to the west
the hotel, Blue Wing, and gambling shop
made a gallant struggle against the pecul
lar depression Of the day; while on the
north the stores, stables and warehouse
of the controlling commercial uaEnate
were open to such necessary attempts ct
trade as the purchase OF gold dust for
CASH or the exchange Of bacon, -four and
good whisky for bad accounts on q series
of already overloaded books. The crowd
of miners and Ioafers, calmly watching
with lazy satisfaction tne combustion Of
2 quarter Of a cord Of fat pine wood in
giant stove, RECALLED itself from time to
time with stories more or less veracious
Jack. the Judge, Long Harry West (the
expressmanJ, and handsome Dick "a gen
tleman who left New York city by re-
quest were engaged in financially sustain
ing their private ideas Of classic poker.
1t was 4 day of idleness-
The door opened and the beaming
though dripping face of Billy Hitchins
appeared. General social movement of
chairs and prefer of three fingers Of
whisky and seat. \ prompt accept
ance of both by the wet and wearied miner
who had done his two miles and a half
up the winding trail from Bear river,
breasting the gusts with the sturdy
pluck of q Briton, for Billy was bright
Cornish lad of p, whose quiet, cheerful
way had made him a general favorite.
He cabined alone in a little nook near
Bear river. where he had bank claim
and toiled alone, save for the chattering
companiouship Of a few Chinese, who
Were already cleaning up the abandoned
river claims. skinned over by the rest
less and uGthrifty whites.
It was soon nOised about that Billy had
sold his bank claim TO the sly but good ma
tured Chinese, who marked his returns,
and was to give possession on the morrow,
and only reserving the right to clean up his
ground sIuice and leave a clean set of
boxes and rifles for the Nougolian part
ners. who were already weighing up the
purchase price in dust, and with reed
STYLUS and Chinese yellow slips figuring
I'D with keen eyes the deposit due from
All Sam. Hop Kee, Sun Wo and the other
wanderers from the FIowery Land who
ornamented Bear river crossing. Going
home" Magic words made his pile
dog 1t was vaguely under
stood the pile was about S2t, 600, with the
addition of the price of the bank, of which
Billy had been the managing partner at
the end of a long handled shovel, and the
sly nest egg concealed in the lonely cabin.
Sailor Bill an old man-o'-w9r's man,
suggested ''as how Billy nd do the hand
some thing" before leaving, and after set
Ting some preliminaries Billy departed,
as the stores were already lessening, hay
ing engaged several pack mules TO bring
on the morrow his few personal effects
to the Burg, as it was proudly called
Men envied the honest lad, who had not
turned the golden tide Of fortune down
his throat, obstinately expended il in sup
porting peculiar visions q to the relative
order OF exit of the last three cards from
the faro cases presided over by the hand
some Frenchwoman who ornamented the
Arcade" The cold rain ceased splash
ing. forgot to patter, and the bright,
laughing stars sparkIed in the clearest
skies on earth The swaying pines seemed
to swell their generous breasts and gently
murmur: Going home, Yes, going
home. In many q struggling cabin that
night were little parcels made up
for Billy to leave az the bay. or at
New York. and Sailor Bill, Dor
rowed a beautiful specimen to send to the
buxom lass who presided over the bar at
the Foul Anchor" at Portsmouth. BY
the Pickering candle light here and there
hands wrote words Of cheer to
absent ones at home, for here was the
first friendly chance in two years.
Nornin- in the mountains, Far reaches
of blue distance touched with liquid gold.
down The pine clad canyons poured the
sparkling shafts Of light, and dark gorSes
gave up t2-ir shadows prisoners TO these
bright l2reer5 af tLe growing day. Little
YORK shookitEelf up--aSsumed its reSpcc-
tive burdens OF toll or laziress. blinking
vice was sleeping OF its last night drunk
the riug;ny sound of the blGchsIuIJhs
hammer Vas nlusicalIy breaking the sweet
silence. and the rattle Of the dice box was
hushetL in TIE Arcade. where no sound
was audible save the buZzing Of the half
inebri3ted flies and the tinkla Of the bar
keepers Spoon IS he mixed the same .
for old Col. Howard Of Virginia. The
colonel was on lis way 70 S,crsulento 10
try the celebrated ease Of the Eivc-SpOt
company against the &atcaoz Belle. f.
Higher climbed tie golden Snn AID F.
PASSED the meridian. L was } o'clock
when shouts broke the dr0wsF stiffness .
of the camp \ GREATNESS b2reheaded F.
Chinauan, shifting up from the Lear
river. fell exhausted in front & the store .
and painted ont: "PIly llltc4-1, ili4y +.
IIitchja; him bank cave I'M Billy I.
killed Great God. boys, BjUy's under /
the bank yelled Lazy Jones. tie Idlest .
lour-er III town. as he led Il motley pro- (
cessicn Of the byscandcrs a. an Cnpre- .
speed.
Deserted was shop, forge and saloon IS .
the whole town strCawed along the Ear- ,
row trail Long indeed were TIE two and /
2 half miles. albeit down hi, and many /
good heart fell out II that Eecoi race Tor .
laCthcr's life. rs the spot where the high .
red bank gape,i its ugly jaws VS. ncaCed .
the chatterla- cries Of excited Mon
-oliars were heard Tie Curgling rip
Pies Of Bear river seemed 70 crE hurry,
hurry: while the tall forest sadly This-
Dered, with rustliEg lips. Gone home,
gone home. Tam ca the sluice, boys. /
we'll wash him out cried handsome
Nell Hicks. who now sleeps far from
home on tho same red hillside 1t was
he work of moment. The frightened
Chinese had brought all their picks and
novels, and as our friends madly hast
ned down the trail hundred stout arms